Mercy H.S. evacuated Wednesday as police investigate bomb threat

Students are evacuated from McGann-Mercy High School Wednesday afternoon. (Credit: Tim Gannon)

Bishop McGann-Mercy High School was evacuated at around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday after a man called the school with a bomb threat, according to Riverhead Town Police Chief David Hegermiller.

By 3 p.m. police left the scene after determining no further threat existed. All evening and school activities were cancelled, according to a statement from the school. Classes are set to resume as normal Thursday, the school said.

“An unknown person called and said there’s a bomb,” Mr. Hegermiller said during the investigation. “The school called the police and evacuated the building. The school did an early dismissal, so they are not putting the kids back in the building. We will do a sweep of the building.”

Town police are trained to do bomb sweeps and a New York Police K-9 unit was on scene to assist, Mr. Hegermiller said.

Parents picked up their kids by the gate to the school without entering the parking lot.

Police cars blocked the entrance to the school and the Riverhead Fire Department was also on the scene.

McGann-Mercy student John Tumminello said an announcement over the loudspeakers instructed students to go to their homeroom. From there, students were told to grab their coats and make their way outside to the football field.

“The first thing I did was look for my sister,” he said.

Seniors who had a car were allowed to drive home after all the students were accounted for outside, he said.